Maude Jane Delap was a self-taught marine biologist, known for being the first person to breed jellyfish in captivity, and thus observed their full life cycle for the first time.
Background
Maude Delap was born in Templecrone Rectory, County Donegal, the seventh child of ten of Rev Alexander Delap and Anna Jane (née Goslett). In 1874, when Maude was aged 8, the family moved to Valentia Island when her father became the rector of the island and Cahirciveen.
Career
She was also involved in extensive study of plankton from the coasts of Valentia Island. Based on their work a survey was undertaken by the Royal Irish Academy headed by Edward T. Browne of University College London in 1895 and 1896, a precursor to the Clare Island Survey. Following this collaboration Maude and Constance continued to collect specimens through dredging and tow-netting as well as recording sea temperature and changes in marine life.
Maude kept in correspondence with Browne, sending specimens and drawings, until his death in 1937.
Delap became increasingly interested in the life cycle of various species of jellyfish, being the first person to successfully breed them in captivity in her home laboratory using home made aquariums. She bred Chrysaora isosceles and Cyanea lamarckii in bell jars and published the results, observing their breeding and feeding habits.
lieutenant was due to this pioneering work that the first identification of the various life cycle stages (medusa and hydra) belong to which species. Due to her contributions to marine biology she was offered a position in 1906 in the Plymouth Marine Biological Station, she declined due to her father"s reaction, which reputedly was "Number daughter of mine will leave home, except as a married woman." Delap"s interest continued in many forms of flora and fauna, which included the identification of a True"s beaked whale which washed up on the island.
This was a whale species that was previously only known from an incomplete specimen from the United States.
Delap had a sea anemone named in her honour, Edwardsia delapiae, which she first recorded in eelgrass on Valentia Island"s shores. This anemone is found in shallow sea water and it is unknown outside Valentia Island. The naming had been suggested by Thomas Alan Stephenson in his book British sea anemones.
Stephenson notes in his book that "Mission Delap"s skill and persistence in collecting rare species are indefatigable."
In 1936 Delap was made an associate of the Linnean Society of London.
A plaque was erected to her in 1998 on Valentia Island by the Irish National Science and Engineering Plaques Committee. Maude was also the subject of an art work by Dorothy Cross, exploring her life and interaction with contemporary scientists and artists.